Clarence E “Hooks” Iott was born on December 3, 1919 in Mountain Grove,
Missouri. He began his professional baseball
career with the Siloam Springs Travelers of the Class D
Arkansas-Missouri League in 1938. The 17-year-old left-hander was
5-8 with a 5.93 ERA as he attempted to find his feet in organized
ball.

The following season Iott blossomed. Pitching for
the Paragould Browns of the Class D Northeast Arkansas League he was
17-8 with a 2.26 ERA and earned a late-season promotion to the
Topeka Owls of the Class C Western Association.

Iott pitched for Youngstown
of the Middle-Atlantic League in 1940 and was back with Paragould in 1941, but got a late-season
call-up to the major leagues with the St Louis Browns. Iott made his
big league debut on September 6 in a one-inning relief appearance.

Iott was with the San Antonio Missions of the
Texas League in 1942 and entered military service at
Camp Blanding, Florida
on November 4, 1942. He initially attended the 1146th
TechnicalTraining School at
Miami Beach, Florida and
was then assigned to Kearns Army Air Base in
Utah.

Iott regularly pitched for the Kearns AAB Eagles
and drew rave reviews at the National Semi-Pro tournament in August
1944. In one game he held the powerful 20th Armored Division of Camp
Campbell, Kentucky to just four hits and struck out 14. Two days
later he threw an 8-0 one-hitter against the Jamestown, New
York, Boosters - striking out 15.

Iott returned from military service at the end of
1945 and joined the St Louis Browns at spring training. He failed to
make the club and was sent to the Toledo Mud Hens of the American
Association. However, Iott complained that he was not being used as
a starter with the Mud Hens and was sent to
San Antonio
of the Texas League where he had played back in 1942.

Iott got his first post-war start with the
Missions on June 12, 1946, and beat the Tulsa Oilers 2-1 on three
hits. He finished the season with a 10-6 record, 2.78 ERA and 172
strikeouts in 178 innings.

Iott began the 1947 season with the Browns. After
making four unmemorable relief appearances he was selected off
waivers by the New York Giants. Given a chance to pitch with the
New York club, Iott made 20 appearances
including nine starts. He finished the season with a 3-8 record and
5.93 ERA.

Iott returned to the minor leagues in 1948. He
pitched for Hollywood of the Pacific Coast League and spent time in the
Texas and Big State Leagues. In 1951 he
joined the St Petersburg Saints of the Class B Florida International
League and enjoyed his best seasons in the minors. He was 22-12 in
1951 with an ERA of 2.00. In 1952 he topped that with a 24-9 record
and 1.83 ERA, and was 15-6 with a 1.99 ERA in 1953, earning him an
invite to spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates although he
didn't make the club.

Iott rose to the Class AAA International League
in 1954 when he joined the Havana Sugar Kings. His minor league
career ended when he returned to
St Petersburg
in 1957.

Hooks Iott suffered a fatal heart attack on
August 17, 1980 in St
Petersburg, Florida. He was 60 years old and is buried at
Memorial Park Cemetery.